Pat Bateman wrote:
I think we are way behind in many aspects, financially, player pool, coaching.... etc. Of course British players can make it over in the NRL but it seems to becoming less and less, is that a quality reason or a ‘not having another Bateman/Williams episode again’. In the 2017 WC we came within a cats cockhair of winning the WC, I just can’t see that this year at all, especially after witnessing that last night and GB getting pumped by Tonga, NZ and PNG on their last tour. As Mopsey said we just don’t seem to be producing the Ellis’s, Peacocks etc anymore. Happy to be proven wrong as I love nothing more than knocking the ten bells out of the Aussies and co.
I agree the player pool is smaller but who’s fault is that. There is nothing magical about the Aussie race for want of a better expression.
It all starts at grass roots and schools two areas we totally ignore. Get that right and the rest follows.
Also if you took away the somoans etc it would be a hugely degraded comp. Imagine if France offered such a ready talent pool.
The Aussies simply have people in charge who by and large make it happen.
I don’t think we can ever catch up now, we had a chance in the 90’s but that’s long gone.